Key container



May 31, 1938. H. s. BAUGHMAN ET AL KEY- CONTAINER Filed June 5, i936 INVENTORS Harry .5. Baughmon &

Mewire 5. Lower I, I I

ATTORNEY Patented May 31, 1938 UNITED (STATES KEY CONTAINER Harry S. Baughinan, Barberton, and Melvin S. Lower, Wadsworth, Ohio, assignors to The Sun Rubber Company, Barberton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 5, 1936, Serial No. 83,654

3 Claims.

This invention relates to containers for keys and the like and the method of making the same, and has particular relation to key containers in which a number of keys may be enclosed ready for instant use.

One object is to provide a simple, effective key container which may be inexpensively manufactured.

Still another object is to provide a key container which is self-closing and from which one or more keys may be readily swung into position for use without the annoyance of fumbling with a clasp or fastener.

Other objects will be manifest from the following brief description of the article and the method of making the same in connection with the accompanying drawing thereof.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a front elevation of a key container in its condition after one of the steps of the method of manufacture has been carried out.

Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of a key container with keys enclosed therein.

Figure 4 is a similar view, but showing the container opened and one of the keys withdrawn.

Figure 5 is an edge view as viewed from the left of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing, I0 is a key container made from a suitable resilient or elastic material, such as vulcanized rubber, and preferably formed in one piece as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The preferred form of the invention comprises back and front walls I I and I2 which may be substantially parallel to each other, and side walls I3 and M which preferably taper downwardly toward each other so as compactly to fit about keys. The front wall l2 may be provided with a reinforcing bead portion |5 along one margin thereof. A recess l6, running parallel with the bead l5, may be provided to obtain a flexible hinging action in using the invention. The ends of the container may be rounded off in any suitable manner and both preferably are open as shown.

After the container has been formed or vulcanized in the shape shown in Figures 1 and 2, the front wall [2 may be slit preferably in a plane at an angle to the wall substantially as shown by the line A-A, Figure 2. The cut is preferably made inwardly toward the edge of the container 16 where the hinging action takes place, providing a sort of a flap of the bead portion l5 of the container which overlaps the casing proper to close the slit or opening. The result of this slitting operation, as is best shown in Figures 3, 4, and 6. is to provide overlapping beveled surfaces l1 and ill for a self-closing opening at [9.

Either before or after the slitting operation, 5 suitable holes may be provided in the back and front walls II and I2 to receive a suitable keyretaining member 20, which may comprise an internally threaded pin 2| having a head 22 thereon, and adapted to receive a headed screw 23. The member 20 is adapted to be loosely received through the usual openings in a number of keys 24, whereby the latter may be loosely retained in the container.

In the use of the invention, the container may be held face up in one hand while the thumb is used to pull back the bead portion or flap l5 to the position shown in Figure 4 to facilitate the removal of the desired key. When the desired key has been swung out or replaced the bead portion l5 may be allowed to snap back to its normal seating position, closing the opening at IS. The bead portion or flap l5 serves the dual purpose of providing a suitable grasping member for opening the container and to maintain the closure at opening l9 even after long use.

The self-closing feature of the invention is obtained by utilizing the resilience or elasticity of the container and its tendency to resume its normal vulcanized or molded shape after having been distorted. The recess l6 may be modified to obtain any desired amount of resilience in the hinging action about that portion of the sidewall adjacent the bead.

It will be seen that by the invention a simple, effective key container has been provided. Obviously, modifications of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for keys and the like, comprising a casing of vulcanized rubber or the like, said casing having a slit in one wall to form an opening, said slit extending inwardly at an angle to the wall of the casing to provide overlapping edges for the opening of the casing, said slit also extending adjacent one edge of the casing to provide a flap hinging at said edge, means for engaging through apertures in keys to retain the same in said casing so that one or more keys may be mounted therein to be swung outwardly through said opening, said opening being selfclosing by reason of the resilience or elasticity of the wall of the casing.

2. A container for keys and the like, compris- 55 ing a casing of vulcanized rubber or the like, said casing having converging edge walls whereby the casing will compactly fit about one or more keys retained therein, a wall of the casing having a slit or opening extending adjacent one edge Wall, said casing having a head portion extending along the margin of said wall intermediate said opening and said edge wall to provide a reinforced flap hinging at said edge wall, means for engaging through apertures in keys to retain the same in said casing so that one or more keys may be mounted therein to be swung outwardly through said opening, said engaging means comprising a pin extending between opposite walls of the casing, said opening being self-closing by reason of the resilience or elasticity of the wall of the casing.

3. A container for keys and the like, comprising a casing of vulcanized rubber or the like, said casing having converging edge walls whereby the casing will compactly fit about one or more keys retained therein, a wall of the casing having a slit or opening extending adjacent one edge wall and extending inwardly at an angle to said wall to provide overlapping beveled edges, said casing having a reinforcing head portion extending along the margin of said wall intermediate said opening and said edge wall to provide a flap hinging at said edge wall, means for engaging through apertures in keys to retain the same in said casing so that one or more keys may be mounted therein to be swung outwardly through said opening, said engaging means comprising a pin extending between opposite walls of the casing, said opening being self-closing by reason of the resilience or elasticity of the wall of the casing. 

